1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to systems for preventing discomfort and hearing loss due to high amplitude sound. More particularly, the invention relates to such a system utilizing an adaptive digital filter to selectively hinder transmission of sound frequency components above a preselected threshold level while allowing transmission of other sound frequency components.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Exposure to environments of high amplitude sound has often been a source of discomfort and hearing loss. To alleviate such problems, workers at construction sites and in industrial facilities have frequently been provided with sound blocking earplugs. While these earplugs are generally effective at reducing high power noise, the sound blockage function is nonselective. Thus, all sound is suppressed, not merely high power noise. As a result, verbal communication is also restricted.